Knowing or Doing?

January 13th, 2003 by Hal

Sign-up now for Project Integrity Day by sending a blank email (no subject and no email body) to project.integrity.day@getresponse.com. There is no charge for participating. It is an opportunity for us to learn together.

Projects get into all kinds of trouble. The usual commentary on this speaks to scheduling issues, cost control, changing customer requirements, etc. I have never heard a project manager say,

"We got into trouble because we acted inconsistently with our public declarations."

Perhaps you've heard people say, It's not what we know that matters…it's what we do. It's not quite true. Remember this: Saying is doing. When our actions are inconsistent with our declarations (statements, promises, standards) we create the setting for cynicism. When we are repeatedly inconsistent the likelihood of cynicism rises dramatically. Projects don't succeed when the project team is cynical.

Project Integrity Day is aimed at bringing words and deeds together again reducing the situation for cynicism.

To prepare project managers and their teams for participating in Friday's Project Integrity Day I am sending lessons by email during this week. Participants will be using the Eight Ps of Project Integrity to identify where your project consistently has integrity and the opportunities for producing more integrity.

Please join us!

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